Page 196 - Fourth Wing

There is nothing quite as humbling, or as awe-inspiring, as

witnessing Threshing…for those who live through it anyway.

—COLONEL KAORI’S FIELD GUIDE TO DRAGONKIND

CHAPTER

THIRTEEN

October first is always Threshing.
Monday, Wednesday, or Sunday, it doesn’t matter where it falls on any

given year. On the first of October, the first-year cadets of the Riders

Quadrant enter the bowl-shaped forested valley to the southwest of the
citadel and pray they come out alive.

I will not die today.

I didn’t bother eating this morning, and I pity Ridoc, who’s currently
heaving up the contents of his stomach against a tree to my right.

A sword is strapped to Rhiannon’s back, the hilt jostling against her spine

as she bounces, stretching her arms across her chest one at a time.
“Remember to listen here,” Professor Kaori says from in front of the 147

of us here, tapping his chest. “If a dragon has already selected you, they’ll
be calling.” He thumps his chest again. “So pay attention to not just your

surroundings but your feelings, and go with them.” He grimaces. “And if

your feelings are telling you to go in the other direction…listen to that,
too.”

“Which one are you going for?” Rhiannon asks quietly.
“I don’t know.” I shake my head but can’t ditch the feeling of absolute

failure in my chest. At this point, Mira knew she wanted to seek out Teine.

“You memorized the cards, right?” she asks, lifting her brows. “So you
know what’s out there?”